Initiative: Kanyashree Prakalpa
Institution: Department of Women, Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal
Problem: Child marriage is a global concern. Each day, child marriage affects more than 41,000 girls globally, with the majority of child brides living in South Asia. While India is 12th in international ranking of child marriages, the country has the highest number of child brides in the world in absolute terms.
Solution: KP implemented a conditional cash transfer scheme that aims to empower adolescent girls from socio-economically disadvantaged families of West Bengal.
Impact: The impact is twofold. The first is an annual scholarship of Rs. 750 (approximately 10 USD) to girls between the ages of 13 and 18 for every year they remain in school, provided they are unmarried at the time. Secondly, there is one-time grant of Rs. 25,000 (approximately 350 USD) to be paid to girls between the ages of 18 and 19, provided they are enrolled in an educational institution and are unmarried.